Education and Study

Partner Development Programme

Financial Support available to expatriate/repatriate partners

To help partners of Shell expatriates meet costs incurred in transferring your employment skills from one country to another, Shell has a financial assistance scheme called Partner Development Programme (PDP). This financial support is available to those eligible partners who want to study while on assignment in The Netherlands. For more information please go to our section on PDP on our website.

Opportunities for Study in The Netherlands?

The dramatic pace of change in organisations and technologies requires employees and others who want to re-enter employment to maintain and continually update their skills. The emphasis on life-long learning and the growth of multi-media training resources, has led to huge improvements in the quality and range of adult education and distance learning.

One of the options often favoured by expatriate partners in a new location is investing their time in education and study and in the Netherlands, there are many opportunities to study. This section summarises the education resources available.

Government agencies

Dutch Education System:  www.minocw.nl/english/education
An official, comprehensive description of the Dutch education system, including details of all types and levels of education.

Eurydice Database on Education:  www.eurydice.org
Detailed description of all the European national education systems.

FION:  www.fion.nl
Federation of Institutes for International Education in the Netherlands.  FION represents institutes for higher international education in the Netherlands who provide post-graduate training and education in the English language in a variety of sectors and subjects to mid-career professionals from developing and transitional countries.

Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC):  www.nuffic.nl
Provides useful information about the evaluation of higher academic qualifications and lists all the higher education, professional and vocational courses taught in English in The Netherlands. This site can be read in both English and Dutch.

Distance learning (The Netherlands)

Leidse onderwijsinstellingen (LOI):  www.loi.nl
LOI is an institute in the Netherlands offering distance learning courses in Dutch.

NTI:  www.nti.nl
Offers various distance learning courses in Dutch.

Open Universiteit:  www.ouh.nl

PBNA:  www.han.nl
Various distance learning courses in Dutch.

Courses taught in English

There are several opportunities for study in English while in the Netherlands. Some of the more widely used institutions are:

Arnhem Business School:  www.han.nl
Programmes at undergraduate and graduate levels in English.

British Language Training Centre:   www.bltc.nl
This institute is the only place in the Netherlands that runs a course to teach English as a foreign language. [Certificate in English Language Training to Adults (CELTA)]

The British Open University:   www.open.ac.uk

Chartered Institute of Marketing:  www.cim.co.uk
Weekend study for Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing exams.

European University, Netherlands Campus:   www.euruni.edu

Haagse Hogeschool:  www.haagsehogeschool.nl

Hogeschool van Utrecht:   www.hvu.nl
Hogeschools are institutes for higher professional education in the Netherlands. Both of these schools offer business administration programmes in English.

International Training Centre for Women:  www.euronet.nl/users/itw
Self development and business tools workshops (in English) for women in the expatriate community in the Netherlands.

Leiden University:  www.leidenuniv.nl

NUFFIC:  www.nuffic.nl
Comprehensive, searchable database of all academic level courses offered in English in the Netherlands.

Rotterdam School of Management (RSM):  www.rsm.nl
International MBA, executive MBA, Masters in International Finance and Masters in HR management.

The University of Amsterdam:   www.uva.nl
UvA offers international study programs in English as well as English and Dutch language courses.

Webster University:   www.webster.nl

Individual software training:
Contact the Careers & Development Team for names of Shell partners who offer one-to-one private software training.

Open Learning Australia (OLA) has been added to this page for its well developed range of distance learning possibilities which may be useful to other nationalities if the desired course is not available via their own base country.

Worldwide colleges and universities

www.braintrack.com
Braintrack university index.  Provides over 4750 links to Higher Education Institutions in 144 countries. It is produced by Ionis, a Swiss company.

www.mit.edu/people/cdemello/geog.html
College and University Home Page

www.Hobsons.com 
A global gateway to education and careers.  Includes global database of distance learning.  Hobsons grew out of the UK Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC).

www.euronet.nl/users/itw
International Training Centre for Women - self development and business tools workshops (in English) for women in the expatriate community in the Netherlands.

www.mba.hobsons.com

http://news.ft.com/jobs
Financial Times Career site with listing of international business schools. 

TEFL/TESL (Teaching English as a Foreign/second Language)
Please see individual countries in our World Links section.

Distance learning (UK)

The British Council
www.britishcouncil.org
Promotes educational, cultural and technical co-operation between Britain and other countries. This site allows access to local information and projects running in many countries.

The Distance Delta
www.thedistancedelta.com
Programme for experienced English Language Teaching (ELT) professionals.  The programme prepares experienced teachers for the Cambridge Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults.

ECCTIS
www.ecctis.co.uk
Information about courses offered by Universities, the Open University and Colleges of Higher Education, including distance learning, in the UK can be accessed through a computerised database called Course Discover, sponsored by the Department for Education and Skills.  You can access it via the British Council offices overseas, as well as in most UK secondary schools, further education colleges, universities, career offices and libraries

International Centre for Distance Learning (ICDL)
http://icdl.open.ac.uk
This site contains information on over 31,000 worldwide distance learning programs. The site enables you to search the course database in specific locations. It contains a unique library collection covering all aspects of the theory and practice of distance education and open learning. A very useful site.

i-to-i:  Work, volunteer and teach abroad
www.i-to-i.com
Online TEFL/TESL training for those wanting to teach and travel worldwide, and volunteer opportunities around the world.

Kelly Scientific Resources
www.kellyscientific.com
Online Science Learning Centre offers wide variety of courses in addition to science/technical courses, eg. interpersonal skills, language training, teacher training, computer skills.

Learndirect
www.learndirect.co.uk  
Backed by the UK government, Learndirect provides advice on over 500,000 training courses and qualifications (full time, part time and self study) in the UK.

Open University UK
www.open.ac.uk 
Gateway to British Open University.

Open University Business Schoool
www.open.ac.uk/oubs

CEDEO
www.cedeo.nl
Idependent group that assists companies and organisations to select education institutes and courses. There is a list of institutes, which are recognised by CEDEO.

Chartered Institute of Marketing:  www.cim.co.uk
Weekend study for Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing exams.

Cursuswinkel
www.cursuswinkel.nl
Commercial service that provides up-to-date information on an extensive range of vocational training courses and seminars available in the Netherlands. It can also book a training course or seminar on your behalf.

Federation of Institutes for International Education in the Netherlands
www.fion.nl
FION represents institutes for higher international education focusing on development orientated courses.

Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschappen. 
www.minocw.nl
This site provides an official, comprehensive description of the Dutch education system and includes details of all types and levels of education and many links.

NUFFIC
www.nuffic.nl
NUFFIC is the Netherlands organisation for international co-operation in higher education. Their services range from language laboratories to an up to date brochure on international courses in the Netherlands.

PW Net
www.pwnet.nl  
The "Cursuscalendarium" lists a wide range of management and other training courses.

Distance learning (Dutch)

Han-PBNA, Arnhem
www.han.nl

Leidse Onderwijsinstellingen (LOI)
www.loi.nl

NTI
www.nti.nl
Offers short courses and MBO/HBO courses.

Open Universiteit Nederland
www.ou.nl 

Open Learning Australia (OLA)
www.ola.edu.au
Educational organisation owned by eight of Australia’s leading universities. It provides vocational education & training, and university studies, in collaboration with more than 20 Australian universities and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) colleges.